Ran 4 miles, instead of 3, when to try 5? (Read 224 times)

Getting in shape and losing weight. Today was the first time I ran 4 miles (since HS in the early 1980's). Training for my first 5k about 5 weeks away. Have been running 3 miles twice a week (recently) plus one day of soccer game. Off days are a mix of 15 minutes calisthenics in morning and a 20 minute walk at lunch. Nice out today, should I have kept going to 5 miles, or a safer idea to just increase by 1 mile increments? It was 52 minutes for 4 miles, so an easy pace, but I'm still 30 pounds over my goal weight, and want to take it easy on my legs. The other day I did a 1 mile in 9:40, breathing pretty hard to do that. My best 3 mile is currently 35 minutes, also breathing hard. For this 4 mile I was not winded at all, but legs probably getting tired.

For this 4 mile I was not winded at all, but legs probably getting tired.

This is the best training you can do for running more. Not winded. Ran longer than normal.

Don't mean this critically in any way -- but "3 miles twice a week" is very little run training. So any training you do like you've noted in the quote above will help you tremendously...longer and easy aerobic running will give you the most benefit.

Choosing my words carefully has never been my strength I've been known to be vague and often pointless

This is the best training you can do for running more. Not winded. Ran longer than normal.

Don't mean this critically in any way -- but "3 miles twice a week" is very little run training. So any training you do like you've noted in the quote above will help you tremendously...longer and easy aerobic running will give you the most benefit.

Notice anything consistent about the various bits of advice you've been given? They all suggest more (as in many-more) long slow miles. Why? Because in your case the best way to get faster and lighter is to run long slow distance.

Per your post, I'm maybe 8 years older than you and like you I'm roughly 25-30 pounds overweight, it was more like 80-90 last April when I started running again, and what I've done is to pile on the miles, nearly 1,300 since then. I don't train at a fast pace, but I do run some pretty significant distances, however, on the rare occasion when I race, by virtue of all those miles I've been running (the most of my life by far), I'm able to maintain a pace in the low sevens for a 5K, and maybe I'm kidding myself, but I'd like to average 7:30 miles for the 10K I'm going to be running on Thanksgiving day.

Long story short, keep it slow and as you feel ready, try for 5 miles, then 6, then maybe 8; by next spring you'll be flirting with 10 or even 12 mile runs on occasion. If you do that, your per mile times will drop like a rock.

Shipo, I'll try more miles, but want to be careful about not doing too much too soon. I have a paleo-ish diet that is going well. Left heel has probably plantar fasciitis. Both shins didn't seem to like last weekend's mile and 400m runs at a track. I had shinsplints in HS and want to avoid them. The 4 mile run (15 hours ago) didn't seem to add any aches, and my shins probably feel close to 100% ok now. If long slow runs help avoid injury, that is where my future training lays

That should work well for you; first order of business, lose those 400m intervals (at least for a good long while).

+1

No intervals. No fast running for a good long while. Run long, run slow. Slower than you think you should. Save the "breathing pretty hard" for your first race. After you've been at this for a while, and can easily run for an hour at least 5 times a week, then think about adding some faster pace runs into the training. This can just be pickups during a slow run, or an increase in total pace. Save the intervals until at least next fall.

Probably no need for me to go beyond 5 miles. Considering weight loss and training for a 5k are my goals.

I always feel bad for short-distance folks. The first 2-3miles of any run of mine always suck. It's a labor. Then, when my body finally warms up thing start getting easier even as I get faster. After mile 6 I usually have to stop myself before it turns into a long run. Miles 6, 7 and 8 are often almost effortless as the pace just keeps getting faster. This, to me, is the real pleasure of running.

If I had to only run the first 2miles then stop, I'd hate this sport.

Now, I'm not saying from 5 you should reach for 8. Instead I'm just trying to point out that after 6 or so something magical happens and you get exercise/weight-loss basically for free as the chore becomes a pleasure.

2014 Goals: sub-3 Marathon

Current Status 11/10: Back to building up miles. Junk feels mostly okay. Kinda.

I agree, my first couple of miles are, for lack of a better work, laborious, by mile four or five I'm starting to feel loose and light, the next three or four feels like I could run forever, then there are the last couple of miles...

I suffer from "Old nag headed for the barn" syndrome, and the last couple of miles, almost regardless of how tired I am, are usually at my fastest pace of the day.

I always feel bad for short-distance folks. The first 2-3miles of any run of mine always suck. It's a labor. Then, when my body finally warms up thing start getting easier even as I get faster. After mile 6 I usually have to stop myself before it turns into a long run. Miles 6, 7 and 8 are often almost effortless as the pace just keeps getting faster. This, to me, is the real pleasure of running.

If I had to only run the first 2miles then stop, I'd hate this sport.

Now, I'm not saying from 5 you should reach for 8. Instead I'm just trying to point out that after 6 or so something magical happens and you get exercise/weight-loss basically for free as the chore becomes a pleasure.

One day at a time; one mile at a time; one minute at a time. Just run.

ulikunkel

posted: 12/6/2013 at 8:30 PM

As a suggestion, I would forget about distance and worry about time. Forget about pace also. Just go out and run for a set amount of time. If you are worrying about how fast you run a mile or 3 miles you are going to end up injured. Go out, and run a set amount of time and then STOP no matter how good you feel. As your fitness increases, so will the distance. This is why GPS watches are such a bad thing for new runners.

An example:

Sun - Off

Mon - 30min

Tues - 45min

Wed - 30min

Th - Off

Fri - 30min

Sat - 60min

As you get fit, you can gradually increase the time on certain days.....30 min can become 45 min and the 60 min long run can become 75, then 90, etc.

Getting in shape and losing weight. Today was the first time I ran 4 miles (since HS in the early 1980's). Training for my first 5k about 5 weeks away. Have been running 3 miles twice a week (recently) plus one day of soccer game. Off days are a mix of 15 minutes calisthenics in morning and a 20 minute walk at lunch. Nice out today, should I have kept going to 5 miles, or a safer idea to just increase by 1 mile increments? It was 52 minutes for 4 miles, so an easy pace, but I'm still 30 pounds over my goal weight, and want to take it easy on my legs. The other day I did a 1 mile in 9:40, breathing pretty hard to do that. My best 3 mile is currently 35 minutes, also breathing hard. For this 4 mile I was not winded at all, but legs probably getting tired.